FOUNDING BOARD
Stewarding the Vision From the Beginning. The Blooming Path began with a shared belief: meaningful opportunity grows when committed people come together to create it. Our founding board brought their leadership, experience, and belief in the mission to help establish the organization and guide its earliest steps. Together, they provide stewardship, accountability, and thoughtful direction as The Blooming Path expands its reach and creates lasting impact.
Founding Board
Shameka Lewis-Dempsey
Founder and Chair
Shameka Lewis-Dempsey is an executive safety leader and entrepreneur whose career follows one throughline: keeping people out of harm's way. After fifteen years in emergency healthcare, she built a safety career spanning Amazon, Mattel, HelloFresh, and Kellanova (formerly Kellogg's) to SNF/Flopam in Plaquemine, Louisiana. A U.S. Army National Guard veteran and doctoral candidate at Capitol Technology University, her research applies artificial intelligence to preventing serious injuries and fatalities. She founded Innolve Consulting to help organizations move beyond compliance by turning safety strategy into practical organization-wide systems. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother, who founded The Blooming Path to build pathways she once had to find alone and to carry them across Louisiana and beyond.
Shawtiel Richardson
Director
Shawtiel Richardson is a strategic people and organizational leadership executive with more than 17 years leading people, culture, learning and development, and organizational transformation across complex, high-growth organizations. Her work spans people operations, talent strategy, organizational effectiveness, and change management. In leadership roles at HelloFresh, Amazon, and Accel Therapies, she has redesigned onboarding and learning programs, built leadership and DEI initiatives, improved employee engagement, and expanded talent pipelines across multiple locations and diverse workforces. She holds a bachelor's degree in Apparel Merchandising, Design and Production Management, a master's in Project Management, and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and founded Leadora Enterprises to coach individuals on leadership, confidence, and career development. She joins the board bringing a thoughtful, people-centered perspective to strategy, governance, and culture.
Farron Seal
Director
Farron Seal is a multi-faceted entrepreneur and executive leader whose career spans beauty, business, creative design, and legal leadership. She is Founder & CEO of SHE-E-O Cosmetics, a Louisiana born luxury lipstick brand built on the philosophy of “Standing on Business and Beauty” — lip products that work just as hard as the women wearing them, whose signature red shade, Executive Decisions, helped earn it Most Innovative Lip Brand. She is also the Founder of Cre8ted Spaces Interior Decor, specializing in interior styling, home staging, and custom paintings. With more than 15 years of experience in the legal industry, Farron serves as Chief of Staff at Daryl Gray Injury Lawyers & Wright Gray Harris Trial Lawyers, working across firm operations, strategy, organizational development, marketing, and leadership. Her defining strength: turning vision into execution and creativity into enterprise, beautifully.
Skylar Edwards
Director
Skylar Edwards is a licensed real estate professional and a U.S. Army Infantry veteran. His background in finance, entrepreneurship, and marketing sharpens both his read of the market and his ability to negotiate effectively on behalf of his clients. He specializes in buying and selling residential properties, investment properties, and luxury homes, with particular focus on first-time homebuyers, relocation, and multi-family homes. His deep knowledge of the Louisiana area allows him to provide tailored guidance, and his strengths in market analysis, communication, and relationship-building set him apart. He works from a client-centered approach and the belief that “Client success is my success,” with a dedication to personalized service that leaves each client informed and empowered throughout their real estate journey. He is an active member of Dream Home Realtor LLC, the National Association of Realtors, GBRAR, and LR.
Raven Dunlap
Director
Dr. Raven Dunlap, LPC-S, NCC, is a licensed professional counselor, counselor educator, clinical supervisor, and behavioral health consultant with extensive experience in mental health, higher education, community-based care, and workforce development. She earned her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Holy Cross and has served in both faculty and clinical roles, supporting emerging mental health professionals through education and supervision. She teaches graduate counseling courses at Antioch University, including practicum, internship, career counseling, and social and cultural foundations. She provides statewide behavioral health consultation and technical assistance — strengthening services, improving clinical workflows, supporting substance use disorder initiatives, and expanding access to quality care — and is the founder of Unbreakable Counseling & Consulting, LLC. Her work is grounded in culturally responsive care, professional development, and community impact.
Michelle Willis
Director
Michelle Willis is an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist and senior human resources leader with a passion for helping people recognize their potential and creating environments where they can grow, lead, and thrive. Throughout her career, Michelle has focused on leadership, organizational culture, workforce strategy, and developing people. At the heart of her work is a simple belief: exposure, opportunity, mentorship, and someone believing in your potential can change the trajectory of a life. That belief is what connects Michelle personally to The Blooming Path. She is passionate about helping women and the next generation build confidence, expand what they believe is possible, and gain access to the relationships and opportunities that help turn potential into purpose. Michelle is honored to help shape an organization committed to creating pathways for people and communities to discover, grow, connect, thrive, and bloom.
Open Board Seat
Position Open
We're still growing our founding board. If this mission speaks to you, we'd love to hear from you.
Our Founding Sponsors
Recognizing the organizations whose early support and belief helped The Blooming Path take root.
Civic Partner Seat
For the parish or municipal office ready to build local opportunity alongside us.
Community Partner Seat
For the local business or family foundation keeping youth programming running year-round.